Control circuit for setting phase shifters in scanned antenna array

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling a plurality of electrically controllable delay devices for an array of a plurality of antenna elements so that the antenna elements will propagate electromagnetic radiation in a desired direction, said apparatus comprising: adding means for adding digital signals, said adding means having a first input adapted to receive a digital signal representative of the desired direction of propagation of electromagnetic radiation by said array of antenna elements, said adding means having a second input and having an output, said adding means being capable of adding a digital signal appearing at said first input to a digital signal appearing at said second input; clock means providing a periodic signal; storage means connected to the output of said adding means and to said clock means for storing the sUm of the digital signals upon receiving a periodic signal; means connecting the output of said storage means to the second input of said adding means; converter means connected to the output of said storage means for converting the digital signal in said storage means to an analog signal; control means connected to said converter means for controlling each of said delay devices and means connecting said control means to said clock means to periodically and successively operate said control means upon each periodic signal to enable successive control of each of said delay devices.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control means comprises a plurality of control devices each having a first input connected to the output of said converter means, each of said control devices being operable to control a respective delay device by an amount dependent upon the analog signal from said converter means for successively operating the control devices.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said last-named means comprises a first enable input to each of said control devices connected to said clock means, and a second enable input to each of said control devices, the second enable input to the first control device being connected to a control source and the second enable input to each successive control device being connected to an enable output of the previous control device so that each control device is enabled upon successful operation of the prior control device.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said control source comprises a second clock means.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the delay devices are current-operable and said control devices are current generators.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein there are n number of delay devices and n number of control devices, said second clock means having a frequency not greater than 1/n times the frequency of the first clock means.

Claim 8

A control circuit for controlling a plurality of load devices comprising: a binary adder having a first input adapted to receive a digital signal indicative of a desired control function, a second input and an output, said binary adder being capable of adding a binary signal at the first input and applying the sum to the output; a storage register having an input connected to the output of said binary adder and having an output connected to the second input of said binary adder; a clock pulse generator connected to an input of said storage register to enable said storage register to store the binary signal from said binary adder; a digital-to-analog converter having an input connected to the output of said storage register and having an output; a plurality of current generators each having an input connected to the output of said digital-to-analog converter sand each having a first enable input connected to said clock pulse generator and each having a second enable input, some of said current generators having an enable output; a source of clock pulses connected to the second enable input of one of said current generators, the second enable input of each successive current generator being connected to the enable output of the previous current generator whereby the current generators are arranged in ring relation; and means connecting the output of each current generator to a respective load device.

Claim 9

A control circuit for controlling a plurality of load devices comprising: a binary adder having a first input adapted to receive a digital signal indicative of a desired control function, a second input and an output, said binary adder being capable of adding a binary signal at the first input and applying the sum to the output; a storage register having an input connected to the output of said binary adder and having an output connected to the second input of said binary adder; a clock pulse generator connected to an input of said storage register to enable said storage register to store the binary signal from said binary adder; a digital-to-analog converter having an input connected to the output of said storage register and having an output; a plurality of current generators each having an input connected to the output of said digital-to-analog converter sand each having a first enable input connected to said clock pulse generator and each having a second enable input, some of said current generators having an enable output; a source of clock pulses connected to the second enable input of one of said current generators, the second enable input of each successive current generator being connected to the enable output of the previous current generator whereby the current generators are arranged in ring relation; and means connecting the output of each current generator to a respective load device.